Psalms 44
1 [For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. A contemplative psalm.] We have heard with our ears, God; our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in the days of old.
To the chief music-maker. Of the sons of Korah Maschil. It has come to our ears, O God, our fathers have given us the story, of the works which you did in their days, in the old times,
2 You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them abroad.
Uprooting the nations with your hand, and planting our fathers in their place; cutting down the nations, but increasing the growth of your people.
3 For they did not get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.
For they did not make the land theirs by their swords, and it was not their arms which kept them safe; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you had pleasure in them.
4 You are my King, my God, who commands victories for Jacob.
You are my King and my God; ordering salvation for Jacob.
5 Through you we will push back our adversaries. Through your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.
Through you will we overcome our haters; by your name will they be crushed under our feet who are violent against us.
6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
I will not put faith in my bow, my sword will not be my salvation.
7 But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us.
But it is you who have been our saviour from those who were against us, and have put to shame those who had hate for us.
8 In God we have made our boast all day long, we will give thanks to your name forever. (Selah)
Our pride is in God at all times, to his name we give praise for ever. (Selah)
9 But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and do not go out with our armies.
But now you have sent us away from you, and put us to shame; you do not go out with our armies.
10 You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take spoil for themselves.
Because of this we are turned back by the attacker: those who have hate for us take our goods for themselves.
11 You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations.
You have made us like sheep which are taken for meat; we are put to flight among the nations.
12 You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.
You let your people go for nothing; your wealth is not increased by their price.
13 You make us the taunt of our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
You have made us to be looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and shamed by those who are round about us.
14 You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.
Our name is a word of shame among the nations, a sign for the shaking of heads among the peoples.
15 All day long my dishonor is before me, and shame covers my face,
My downfall is ever before me, and I am covered with the shame of my face;
16 At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger.
Because of the voice of him who says sharp and bitter words; because of the hater and him who is the instrument of punishment.
17 All this has come on us, yet have we not forgotten you, Neither have we been false to your covenant.
All this has come on us, but still we have kept you in our memory; and we have not been false to your word.
18 Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path,
Our hearts have not gone back, and our steps have not been turned out of your way;
19 Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.
Though you have let us be crushed in the place of jackals, though we are covered with darkest shade.
20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread forth our hands to a strange god;
If the name of our God has gone out of our minds, or if our hands have been stretched out to a strange god,
21 won't God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
Will not God make search for it? for he sees the secrets of the heart.
22 For your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
Truly, because of you we are put to death every day; we are numbered like sheep for destruction.
23 Wake up. Why do you sleep, LORD? Arise. Do not reject us forever.
Why are you sleeping, O Lord? awake! and come to our help, do not give us up for ever.
24 Why do you hide your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?
Why is your face covered, and why do you give no thought to our trouble and our cruel fate?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body cleaves to the earth.
For our souls are crushed down to the dust: our bodies are stretched out on the earth.
26 Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness' sake.
Up! and come to our help, and give us salvation because of your mercy.
